Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 14, 2018

Two Jacksonville City Council members, Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, are dealing with dozens of federal fraud charges. A 61-page indictment dropped in federal court late last month details 38 counts in a scheme to defraud. Federal prosecutors allege the Browns, who are not related, collaborated in a scheme that used shell companies as ways to extract, via transfers and […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 11, 2018

On June 1, Gov. Rick Scott suspended two Democratic Jacksonville City Council members who face 38 federal counts in a scheme to defraud local and federal taxpayers. While Scott has not yet picked replacements for the currently suspended Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, the Councilors have live bills that currently lack a primary sponsor. Katrina […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 5, 2018

Just days after Gov. Rick Scott suspended two Jacksonville City Council members who face 38 federal counts in a scheme to defraud local and federal taxpayers, Mayor Lenny Curry said Tuesday his office had no active role or insight into the selection process for their replacements. The replacements for suspended Democrats Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown will be picked by […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 4, 2018

On Monday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Neighborhoods, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety committee deferred the “Homeless Bill of Rights,” legislation that could codify civil rights for the city’s dispossessed populations. Ordinance 2018-308, filed by currently-suspended Councilwoman Katrina Brown, contends that “the basic rights all people should enjoy must be guaranteed for homeless individuals and families,” […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 4, 2018

On Thursday, Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown were indicted on a 38-count conspiracy to defraud, after both allegedly misused city and federal funds intended for economic incentive purposes. Friday saw Gov. Rick Scott suspend the two less than a year before elections, leaving the Jacksonville City Council to scramble in terms of figuring out […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 2, 2018

Jacksonville City Councilmembers Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, indicted Thursday on a 38-count scheme to defraud, will have more time to devise a legal defense in the coming weeks. As many expected, Gov. Rick Scott devoted a chunk of his Friday 5 p.m. news dump to the inevitable memo, suspending the Councilmembers, though not naming temporary replacements. The suspension […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 1, 2018

Jacksonville’s political class is reeling from Thursday’s federal indictment of City Councilors Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, which saw the two Democrats slammed with a 38-count conspiracy to defraud. Councilwoman Brown was named in 37 counts; Councilman Brown in 32. Per prosecutors, the two misappropriated federal and city money provided to fund an ultimately failed BBQ sauce […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 1, 2018

The big news from Jacksonville Thursday: the indictment of Councilmembers Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown on charges related to a conspiracy to defraud. Prosecutors assert that the Browns secreted government money, lent and granted to Katrina Brown for a barbeque sauce plant that was supposed to create 56 jobs — but created none. For those expecting hot takes […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 31, 2018

Jacksonville hasn’t dealt with a politician’s fraud trial in roughly a year. Perhaps the city was overdue. A 61-page indictment dropped in federal court Thursday for two Jacksonville City Council members, Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown. Their first appearance on Thursday afternoon saw the two Democrats face the court, in the face of charges that […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 22, 2018

Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown is being sued personally by the city of Jacksonville, the fallout from an economic development deal gone bust. Earlier this month, the city filed suit against Brown, a first-term Democratic member of the Finance Committee, for breach of guaranty, relative to a defaulted loan of $380,000 to the Browns’ family business, CoWealth […]

Tag: Katrina Brown

In fraud case, Katrina Brown representation up in air, Reggie Brown gets court appointed lawyer

Jacksonville City Council works to move on from suspended, indicted members

Lenny Curry: Jacksonville City Council fill-ins are Rick Scott’s decision

Jacksonville Council committee defers ‘bill of rights’ for homeless population

Jacksonville City Council confident in post-indictment path

Rick Scott suspends two Jacksonville City Councilmembers after fraud indictment

Jacksonville in wait and see mode regarding Rick Scott suspending indicted councilors

Jacksonville pols guarded when talking Councilmembers’ indictments

Jacksonville Councilors Katrina Brown, Reggie Brown have first hearing on 38-count fraud indictment

Lawsuit won’t push Katrina Brown off Jacksonville City Council